Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-09-29

My Old Friend, l am gone,
/ desire you to take from my desk
small packet of manuscript which you
will find there. 1t is the story of my
life. Even to you have been reticent,
but now desire you to know all. You
may think me n mailman when you
have read the story; and. indeed, no
one can know whether he is mad or
not but you know me too well to
suspect me of falsehood The truth OF
what | have written is as absolute to
me as that of my own existence.
Read it and do what you will with it.
Yours ever, LIE MAR.
1t was to obtain this legacy that the
colonel retraced his steps TO the home
of his dead cOmrade that day. As lie
Mar had said, he knew nothing of his
life save that they had fought together,
yet he had always felt that some mys-
terry surrounded him, that there were
sorrows in the past too great to be
spoken of.
At the dead of night, in the solitude
of his own room, Colonel Mcstayer I'M
rolled the paper, covered by the words
his friend had written, and read the
following storl:
Dear Messenger. Before l become q
soldier l lived with nv father in cha
team near Paris. was his Youngest
son, and in his way he was fond of Inc {;
his kindness. however, depended al
together on my implic t obedience.
l. Ike most young men | had fallen in
love. The object of my affection was
not lady of my own rank in life; she
was poor little shop girl named
Airline.
have always thought her the sweet
est thing on earth; certainly her black
eyes and her long, glittorng, waving
black hair were charms any woman
might have envied. Inever mentioned
Airline at home, of course. that you
quite understand. Her grandfather was
little old man who carved wooden
brackets for living, and they lived on a
fourth floor in very poor ncighhor-
hood.
When | was five and twenty years Of
age my father said to me:
"Adolph, it is time for you to marry.
have selected wife for you. 1t il
young Madcmoiscllc Moran"
But l have no wish to marry"
said.
II desire it, said my father. Mile
Moran's beauty, position and wealth
render q most eligible wife for you
Her father approves of you; he vii
give you fine portion, and, if yor
marry according to my wishes, l will
settle suitable sum upon you ant
give you the pretty chateau at st
Sauveur, which you have always ad
mired. / can afford to be generous t.
an obedlent son, but, if am offended
with you. what have your"
Not a sous
"Ah, well, said he, 81 sec You Ill
derstand the situation"
He walked away from ne we'll salts
fed. l remained where he had le
me. asked myself what should dc
could not tell him that | loved som
one else. Love had nothing to do wit
his plans. could not tell him that al
othe loved me. What would he cal
for little shop girl without penr
in her purse? With his consent
should never marry her, even we
there no Mile. Moran on earth. mig
res st his authority and marry Arlin
After that, perhaps l might teach mus
for livelihood. knew something
the art. And then, if we two con
live in Il garrett, we might be happ
Could weP Could l? thought of n
own elegant. home; of the style
which / had always lived; of the lux
ries that had grown to be necessities
me. l shuddered.
perhaps time will help me" said
myself. II will not anger my faith
yet. l will remain passive. / W
never marry Mademoiselle Moran; b
ii it amuses the old people to talk
our betrothal, let them do it."
So saved my conscience. Once
twice a week my father took me fC
mally to call upon young Mademoise
Moran. The rest of the evening
made love to my little Airline. S
lived with her old grandfather on
upper floor in dismal street, but I
room was bright and clean enous
and she was as pretty and as fresh a
rose
Together we supped upon bread q
radishes, and claret. which brou!
with me in a long bottle. Those w
delicious feasts. They were sweetel
and favored by love. She did
know that was rich man. She
not care whether was rich or poor
Neither of us looked far into
future. We were young. and the pr
ent sufiiced us. Whether we whisI
ed together in the little garrett or W
arm in arm to see play; whether
walked through the gas-lit streets,
wandered on some summer holiday
into the pleasant country places
were as happy as the day was 10
Meanwhile. Mile. Moran gave me
polite attention when we met /,
made no objection whatever to
parents plans.
Loving Airline as l did. l was ST
coward. You who have known m,
battle will perhaps think belle mys
but Mt one and-twenty was me
coward ! despise myself as VIZ
but nave prom sed to tell the trut
allowed matters TO proc eed with
nlcrrnplton, until :! --'t l was TO